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I can manually select gears whenever I want too.
switching from manual to automatic
- Thread starter DeeJay-Mo
- Start date
I can manually select gears whenever I want too.
Having driven manuals for 10 out of my 11 years of driving, I'm ready to switch to automatics now. I had a 1.6 Focus auto for a little while (it was a horrible four speed slush box which sapped all of the 100hp available to it) and though the 'box was poor, it was a nice car to just drive around in. Ideal car is a Mondeo Titanium X, with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine (the higher power 240PS engine if I can get it) and PowerShift gearbox. If I was to buy new I'd try and strech to a RenaultSport Clio 220 with the EDC box. Driven the 200T version and it's nice - I never understood the disdain for the box that I read everywhere on the internet. In normal mode, it had sedate gear changes that were perfect for normal town driving. Once you switch to Sport or Race mode the gear changes become very very fast, and you can obviously switch to manual and use the paddles too.
I've driven a friend's M135i with the 8-speed auto and that's an absolute dream too (but far, far out of my price range).
I've driven a friend's M135i with the 8-speed auto and that's an absolute dream too (but far, far out of my price range).
Soldato
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OP asks about a honda CVT vs a conventional manual - cue people talking about BTCC and formula 1...
Indeed. I have just bought the new shape Megane GT which comes with a 7 speed EDC box and it is great. I have test driven a few VAG things with the DSG box in them and it is easily a match for it, if not better. In auto mode it is very smooth and it is easy to make progress quickly without it dropping down all the time or getting confused, and in manual + sport mode the gear changes with the paddles are extremely quick with no delay that i have noticed.
I am not sure i will ever go back to a manual.
Yup.. the EAT6 6 speed auto box on my 1.6 diesel (120bhp 300Nm) is a torque converter and smooth. New auto box in the latest series of PSA engines - fitted to my new 3008SUV.
The car is naturally slow perhaps (read mpg high and only 300Nm) but to allows full auto, auto+paddles to advise of changes needed (such as pulling around vehicles without having to stomp on the accelerator first) and full manual with paddles. Also has sports mode which makes the box use higher revs etc and does make the car shift compared to it dropping down in gears for economy.
Works well with S&S in traffic too as it all happens automatically.
DSGs perform well but I'm not sure how long they last and if they break repairs could be £1000's. CVT might be more reliable than a DSG. I have a DSG Fabia VRS, I'm too scared to not have Skoda warranty so I will pay to extend it just encase the DSG starts playing up.
Yeh, I wouldn't want to own a modern auto out of warranty. The repair bills are astronomical.
Soldato
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sorry, been spending too much time in gd recently....
You can almost guarantee it will go wrong at some point as the mileage piles up. LOTS of people have problems with them and yes, they are hideously expensive to fix/replace. They are also a liability if you ever plan on tuning, because extra torque will kill them even faster.
If you want a gearbox that will last forever, a manual is the only way to go really. Modern manual boxes are generally bullet roof, but autos are going in the other direction and have become quite fragile in the endless quest for better responsiveness :/
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Soldato
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well, a manual clutch isn't lasting forever, but then considering it's a wear part by design its not so much an issue.
not sure what they're doing with cvt's though as afaik they're the worst of the lot for needing maintenance.
not sure what they're doing with cvt's though as afaik they're the worst of the lot for needing maintenance.
Oh come on now, you can tell the computer to engage a gear for you if it wants to. Motorsport type sequentials are absolutely manual, it might not be an H pattern but it's a manually operated clutch and manually operated shifter.
Soldato
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basically a fancy term for a motorbike gearbox, not ideal for longevity to crash it through gears with no clutch but then motorsport aren't exactly longevity focused.
Soldato
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Could someone explain all the different types of auto box available, how they are to drive and their pros and cons? Ie poweshift, DSG, cvt, 8 speed etc. What does it all mean? I'm tempted to try an auto too as do a lot of motorway and sitting in traffic driving.
My budget will be small too. What type of auto is best on a budget if looking for a big car ie an estate?
My budget will be small too. What type of auto is best on a budget if looking for a big car ie an estate?
Soldato
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check out engineering explained on youtube, he does some pretty good overviews of the basics of how these systems work. here's his playlist on gearboxes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJj8NvDUSFs&list=PL7B5B6479699EB204
I wasn't talking about the clutch. Those are cheap consumables. I'm talking about the whole gearbox, manual ones rarely break while it's quite common for modern autos to go wrong
Soldato
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Maybe £5k for a 10 year old car.
Soldato
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I wasn't talking about the clutch. Those are cheap consumables. I'm talking about the whole gearbox, manual ones rarely break while it's quite common for modern autos to go wrong
Why would this be when to my understanding a modern auto (DSG etc) is a manual box that's computer controlled?
Do clutches wear out on dual clutch DSG systems like they do on manual cars?
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The main thing seems to be the lack of maintenance and then the valves etc get clogged.